O Christmas Tree (T version)
by FourTrisHEA
Summary: Summary: Two young adults in their late-20s get into the Christmas spirit while spending a weekend in their childhood neighborhood. A FOURTRIS one-shot.


Title: O Christmas Tree (FourTris One Shot) T version

Rating: T

Author's Note: This story was originally written as a Mature (M) version, we decided to make a toned down version for our readers that prefer that. You can find the M version of this story on BK2U's account. This one-shot is a collaboration between FourTris_HEA and BK2U. A fellow author mentioned to BK2U in a private message that she wanted to do a Christmas one-shot but that she wasn't sure what it should be about. Reading the message, an image of Tris with a Christmas tree suddenly popped into BK2U's head, and she wrote out a whole scenario for the author. In the meantime, the author had started her own story, so BK2U asked FourTris_HEA if she would be interested in writing it. "O Christmas Tree" is the result of that request. Please note that this story is modern day (AU), and while Tris and Tobias are recognizable characters, they are older (20's) and acting a bit out of character (OOC) compared to their Abnegation-Dauntless-Divergent selves. We hope you enjoy the story, and we wish you very Happy Holidays!

Summary: Two young adults in their late-20s get into the Christmas spirit while spending a weekend in their childhood neighborhood.

++o+ December 23, 2017 +0++

Pulling out of her parents' driveway, Tris wonders if she will be able to find a decent tree so late in the season. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, after all. Enjoying her view of the familiar streets of Northbrook as she drives her new Range Rover, she is reminded of her childhood. It's hard to believe it's been almost ten years since she graduated high school and moved into the city.

Tris's former elementary school is hosting a sale of Christmas trees in their parking lot during the long winter break. She is relieved to see a decent variety is still available.

Since her father's car accident that broke his hip, things have been so hard for her parents at home. Tris and her brother, Caleb, have tried to be of more help, but the truth is that they both live very busy lives that don't allow for as much time as they would like. Tris sighs, hoping that her father's hip surgery will provide some much-needed relief to her parents' situation.

In the meantime, Tris can only admire how much her parents have bonded together, and especially the efforts of her mother. Natalie Prior is a strong woman who has stepped up to the plate for her husband while also encouraging her children to continue to live their own lives.

Walking through the tree lot, she finds herself drawn to the trees that are all several feet taller than she is. It reminds her of the trees her father would always pick for Christmas when she was growing up. She wants the tree to be a surprise for her parents, and she wants to take care of everything on her own. She knows her father can't do it this year, nor can her mother.

In a quick decision, Tris grabs a full tree that is indeed several feet taller than she. Barely able to drag it to the makeshift checkout table, she wonders how exactly she is going to manage to get it into her family's house. Although Caleb and his wife aren't expected until Christmas Eve, she is hopeful he might just stop by to check in as he often does. She realizes that getting it off the roof of her SUV will be the hardest part.

"That's quite the tree you've got there, young lady," an older gentleman says to Tris as she finally makes it to the front of the line and hands him the cash for the tree. "Cutting it close, huh?"

Catching her breath and smiling, she replies, "Yeah, you could say that. I just got into town this morning. I'm surprising my parents with a tree for their house. Sounds like a great plan, right?"

"I think it sounds wonderful," the older gentleman turns his head to call over a couple of the younger workers to help Tris with her new tree.

Watching carefully to see how the guys secure the tree to the top of her car, Tris makes sure she will be able to figure out how to untie it later. She is also praying that the tree won't scratch up her new Range Rover. Her boutique is doing very well, so she splurged on the rugged vehicle a few months ago. The tree's branches are splayed out as the worker makes his final knot.

Tipping him generously, she accepts the razor he offers her so she can later cut the tree loose.

Driving back to her childhood home, Tris slows her speed down. Although not snowing, the weather is gray and gloomy. It's cold, and the light drizzle from earlier is starting to freeze. It's the perfect combination for the roads and sidewalks to become slippery.

Arriving home safely, she pulls into the driveway. She carefully steps down from her Range Rover and shuts the door, turning to look around the neighborhood in the hope that someone just happens to be outside that might be willing to help her with the tree. She's puzzled when she notices a SUV parked in the Eatons' driveway, diagonally across from her parents' house, certain that it wasn't there when she left.

Tris wonders who it belongs to, since Marcus died not that long ago and he hadn't lived in the house for months before that as he was in an assisted living facility. The house has been empty and dark for a long time. She shudders, remembering that her parents told her that he'd suffered from pancreatic cancer. He must have had a very painful death.

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, she shrugs off her thoughts about the SUV; it probably belongs to a realtor or house cleaner. Who knows what's going on with the house now that Marcus is gone?

Carefully picking the best path to the front door, she enters her parents' house, propping the door open and making sure that the tree location and stand are ready. She is also hoping that someone will miraculously be around who can help her with this huge tree.

There's no one in sight, so Tris climbs up the stairs to check on her parents. Her father is lying on the bed, snoring lightly, and her mom is sleeping peacefully next to him. She's happy to see her mother is finally getting some rest — there is no way she will disturb her. Besides, she's hoping that the decorated Christmas tree will be a nice surprise for her parents.

Tris quietly heads back downstairs and out to her car. Deciding that gravity will be her helper, Tris thinks that if she can slowly slide the tree down the back of her Rover to get it down, she should be able to drag it inside. She is a bit concerned, wondering how she'll get the tree up the front stairs outside the house, but she figures she'll worry about that when she gets there.

Pulling out the razor the tree lot worker gave her to cut the rope, Tris has to climb up on top of her car to gain access to the numerous ties. Successfully pulling off the ropes that had been securing the tree, Tris is feeling quite proud of herself. Who needs a big brother to help her with this? Not her!

She slides herself off of the ice-slicked hood and walks to the back of the car to tug on the base of the tree, hoping she can pull it down that way. It takes only a moment for her to realize the weight of the tree is more than she can pull from just its trunk. Grunting with frustration, Tris moves to the side of the car to grasp the branches with her arms spread out and tugs hard. To her horror, the damned tree quickly slides right towards her! Scrambling to try to stop it from falling onto her head, she feels her feet slipping out from under her on the icy concrete. She lands on her back, facing up, and emits a short scream that is cut off when the tree falls right on top of her.

Tris is able to push a branch out of her face so she can see a tiny bit and breathe. Frustrated and embarrassed, Tris begins to squirm in order to get out from under the heavy tree — but with no success.

Shit! This thing is too heavy and big. I am actually stuck. I can just imagine Mom's face if she finds me like this.

This is not happening to me. This is bullshit.

Hearing a door slam from somewhere on the street, Tris decides to swallow her pride; she'd rather have some random neighbor see her current predicament instead of her family.

As she is about to yell for help, a deep voice asks her, "Are you okay? Do you need some help?"

Is he serious with that question? I am trapped under a large tree!

Of course this mystery person isn't serious, he is obviously mocking her.

She replies sarcastically, "Oh, no, I was just planning to take a nap on this cold, icy driveway with a huge Christmas tree on top of me. OF COURSE I NEED SOME HELP!"

She hears a deep, rumbling laugh, and for a moment, it sounds familiar to her, but she can't place it. Suddenly, the tree is swiftly lifted off of her and a handsome face peers at her over the side of the tree. Tris stares into his deep blue eyes, which are offset by tanned skin and dark hair. She's less impressed when she sees that his eyebrows are raised and he has a huge smirk on his face.

Tobias Eaton?! I haven't seen him since…well, I can't even remember when. His senior year I suppose. Shit — there is no way he was this handsome when we were teens. I definitely would have noticed that.

Why the hell am I still lying on the cold ground like an idiot? What is wrong with me?

Tobias tosses the tree aside and quickly extends a hand to help her up. She takes it and rushes to get up, now embarrassed he has found her in such a humiliating position. But the ground is still icy, and Tris starts to slip and slide once more.

She gasps as she feels herself falling backwards again, but she is pleasantly surprised when Tobias's strong arms pull her close to him, helping her to steady herself and get her feet under her. She grabs on to the leather of his jacket to stop herself from losing her footing again, and the two suddenly find themselves in a tight embrace in the middle of the driveway. Looking up to meet his eyes, Tris's breath hitches ever so softly at the intensity of his stare. After a solid moment of staring at one another, they both become flushed and flustered, realizing just how close together they are standing.

Tobias is quick to let her go and take a step back. Tris turns her head, not wanting him to see what she imagines must be a disappointed look on her face.

"Hi, Tris. Here, let me get this tree inside for you," Tobias smiles softly when her face is turned away; this situation is definitely amusing him. He hasn't see the 'girl across the street' in many years. She looks a lot different than the braces-clad introvert he once knew. He didn't have many close friends growing up, nor was Tris one of them. But he does remember her with fondness as a nice girl who was a quiet companion when they walked to and from their middle school bus stop.

"Hi, Tobias. It's been a while, hasn't it? Um, yeah…that would be really cool of you to help me with the tree. As you can see, I was losing the battle," she jokes nervously. He merely nods quietly and turns to the front of the house to plan his strategy.

Tris isn't really sure what he is thinking, though it dawns on her that he may be annoyed.

Maybe he has somewhere to be…or someone to be with?

Or, maybe he's just quiet and you are an idiot.

Tobias hauls the large tree into the house with little effort, and Tris bites her lip while watching him. She's equally impressed by his strength and annoyed that this is so easy for him. The street is silent, and she chuckles with the realization that she would still probably be stuck under the damned Christmas tree on the icy driveway if he hadn't come along.

"Enjoying yourself?" Tobias asks with a smirk as he continues to do all of the heavy lifting.

"Um, no. Not at all," Tris blurts defensively. He raises his eyebrows at her, and she wants to bang her head against a wall. "Oh, God. It's not that I don't appreciate your help. I really do! I just meant that I am not enjoying myself while you are left doing all the hard work."

"Okay, good," Tobias smiles at her, casually admiring her pretty lips and bright eyes. "Let's get this tree in the stand."

God, she is really pretty. I was either blind in high school or she has changed a lot since then.

They work together to put the tree in the stand, and then adjust it until both are in agreement that it is actually up straight. It took a few times for the pair to both be satisfied with the results. Tris even reminded him once that it is her tree, to which he replied that he would never be able to forget the image of Tris and her tree.

Tris smiles at him, realizing that a goodbye is about to happen. Opening her mouth to thank him again, she is shocked when he suddenly blurts out, "Do you need any help with the tree decorations?"

Tris chuckles softly, immediately assuming that he's just joking. Surely, he's wasted enough of his time with her great tree adventure. Her laughter dies when she sees the serious look on his face.

I should say no. He's already helped so much. I need to say no. Shit. I really don't want to say no.

"I see you are struggling, so let me ease your mind: I promise, I wouldn't have offered if I didn't really want to help. I'm tired of all the work I've been doing at my dad's house. Getting a house realtor-approved ready is no fun." He pauses while rubbing the back of his neck. "It would be really nice if I could take a break and help decorate your tree with you."

Staring at her hopefully, he realizes how much he wants her to just say yes. He can see that she may actually need some help, as she is obviously doing this all on her own. But he also knows he really doesn't want to say goodbye to Tris just yet. Racking his brain for something else to say that could convince her, he's elated when she blurts out an enthusiastic yes.

"How about this: as a thank you from my family, we insist that you stay for dinner tonight. My mom has her famous roast cooking in the crock pot. It will rock your world, I promise."

The moment the phrase 'rock your world' leaves her lips, she sees his mouth twitch. Could he be thinking some rather dirty thoughts, just like she is?

Tobias quickly agrees to dinner, pleased that he now has more time to get to know her again. It's been a long time since high school.

Closing the front door and offering her new guest a drink, Tris can't help but check out how hot he is. Having already taken off his leather jacket and dropped it on the couch, Tobias is now leaning over to pick up one of the decoration boxes. He straightens up and looks to Tris for guidance.

"As you have reminded me a couple of times, this is your tree, so I will defer to you on ornament selection," he says wryly, watching her come back into the room with drinks for both of them. As she places them down nearby, he takes the opportunity to steal a prolonged glance at the petite beauty, very much liking what he sees.

"Ha, ha – funny. My folks weren't even going to do a tree this year. My dad was in a really bad car accident about six weeks ago, and he's still recuperating. The doctors recently decided that he needs hip replacement surgery, which he'll have in late January, but in the meantime, it's been pretty rough on both my parents with him out of commission. So, I decided to surprise them with a tree — apparently, a tree that was too much for me to handle!"

Tobias laughs along with Tris as they sip at their drinks, and then get down to work. Following Tris's lead on stringing the multi-colored lights, he quickly finds a way for them to work together that will be the most efficient.

"I'm sorry to hear about your dad, are your parents here now?" Tobias asks.

"Yeah, they are. Dad is on pretty strong pain meds, so he sleeps a lot and mostly stays upstairs. It's an ordeal to get him down here. And Mom has been running herself ragged. When I first got home with the tree and saw she was asleep, I didn't have the heart to wake her," Tris finishes softly.

"I think you had a great idea here, and I'm glad I can help." He smiles at her, noticing again how their eyes keep locking on each other. He knows he could stare at her all day if that wasn't so creepy.

To break the sexual tension that is building, Tobias jokes, "So, they didn't have any taller trees for you to pick from, eh? It's a good thing I'm here — you're gonna need my help to put the star on the top of the tree, for sure. Since you are so petite and all."

"Well, we own this thing called a chair — maybe you've heard of them? — and I would have managed just fine, thank you!" she banters back, loving the deep laugh she gets in return. She turns to open up a couple of the larger ornament boxes now that the tree lights are set. Of course she is attracted to him, and as much as it pains her to admit it, she hasn't been with a man in far too long. So yes, her mind keeps going there when she looks at him. But it is still early, and she doesn't really know anything about him. He could have a girlfriend for all she knows.

The pair fall into a comfortable routine of decorating the tree together. They chat and catch each other up on what they've been doing since graduating high school. They are amused to discover that they seem to be living very similar lives: both are single, live in the city, have never been married, and have no kids. Their conversation flows easily as they get to know each other better.

"I've been here off and on for the last week. My realtor has a very detailed list of instructions on what needs to be done before the house can go on the market." Tobias sighs heavily.

After giving him her condolences on his father's passing, she adds, "To be honest, your dad was really very private; my family didn't know him that well."

"Thanks. It's okay, I am ready to sell the house and move on," he says before changing the subject. "So, tell me more about your boutique."

Tris smiles proudly. She has worked so hard in the last few years to make her business successful. "It's a high end store for women, with clothes, shoes and accessories. I really love it. What about you? Is computer science all you thought it would be?"

Tobias nods and tells her all about his job as head of the IT department for a startup.

As they continue to work and talk amiably, they miss hearing the bedroom door opening upstairs.

Natalie Prior moves down the stairs slowly, and is pleasantly surprised to see Tobias Eaton in her living room with her only daughter. Pausing to observe the two young people working on decorating the tree together, she smiles as they flirt; she isn't sure if they even realize what they're doing.

"You are doing a really good job of decorating way down there, Tris. But don't worry, I'll handle decorating the tree anywhere above the four foot mark," he says teasingly.

Tris acts annoyed and playfully punches him in the arm. In response, he catches her hand and holds it for a moment as they lock eyes, grinning at one another.

Clearing her throat, Natalie continues down the stairs and smiles warmly at the pair.

"Tobias! It's wonderful to see you, dear. I hope you will stay for dinner?"

"Um, yes, thank you, Mrs. Prior. Tris already invited me," he answers politely.

Tobias is quiet as mother and daughter have a warm exchange about the surprise tree. He can tell that Natalie is truly touched by the gesture. He sees a side of Tris he never knew about, and he likes it. She is thoughtful and kind; in truth, she may have been those things all along and he just didn't know it.

Turning her attention back to the handsome young man in her living room, Natalie asks if he would be willing to start a fire in the fireplace while she plates dinner. Tobias agrees immediately, happy to be of use. Natalie encourages Tris to help their guest with the fireplace.

Once dinner is ready, Natalie calls them to the dining room. She has set the table beautifully, even lighting some candles for atmosphere. Both Tris and Tobias look confused when they see that there are only two table settings. Natalie explains that she has a tray of food for her and Andrew to eat upstairs. She adds, "Your father has been feeling very lonely and needy today, so I'll eat my dinner with him and keep him company. I'll see you later."

Tobias pulls out Tris's chair, and her cheeks flush warmly. She can no longer deny how attracted she is to him, and he seems to like her, too.

They fall back into easy conversation while eating Natalie's tasty dinner. Tobias mentions that his best friend, Zeke Pedrad, is really the only person that he has remained close with from high school. Tris remembers him, but admits she didn't know him very well. Tris shares that she has kept in touch with Christina and Will, who were high school sweethearts that recently got married. Tobias is honest and confesses that he can't even picture their faces. They laugh and agree that high school was forever ago.

What doesn't escape Tobias's attention are the few times that they end up touching during dinner. Whether their legs graze under the table, or they flirtatiously grab one another's hand while trying to emphasize a conversation point, the contact is affecting him strongly. He finds himself feeling braver, and wants to know if she is feeling what he is.

After cleaning up their dishes together, Tris slips her hand into his and asks if he wants to sit by the impressive fire he built. They sit side by side on the floor, their backs resting on the sofa. Continuing their conversation, they each recount their respective college experiences. Tobias eventually invites her to snuggle in closer to him, and she happily follows his lead.

"I really want to kiss you," he whispers softly into her ear.

Tris nods yes, and he leans down to capture her lips with his.

The moment their lips touch, Tris and Tobias both feel a strong connection. The kiss that starts out slow and sweet quickly becomes more. Tris decides to be bold and leans into him, pulling him closer to her. His arms tighten around her as he deepens their kiss, their tongues gently exploring while the fire continues to crackle softly in the background.

Tris buries her fingers in the soft curls at the top of his neck, and when she gives his hair a small tug he groans in response. Breaking the kiss to stare into her eyes, he sees her swollen lips are parted and waiting for him.

"Tris," he murmurs while kissing down her neck, his hands moving around her and pulling her even closer.

Tris is ready for more, and she is not one to be shy about giving and getting affection, so she moves to straddle his lap as he leans back against the couch. Appreciating her move to his lap, he grabs her hips and pulls her forward as his mouth trails kisses along her collarbone. Tris pants and throws her head back, hoping to encourage him further.

Tobias takes the bait, kissing down her cleavage and squeezing her hips, causing her to shudder with lust.

"You like this?" he whispers, gently biting her earlobe and sliding his hand up her shirt to caress her breast above her thin lace bra. Tris hisses loudly as her answer.

She wants so much more from him. With both of his hands massaging and caressing her breasts, Tris almost forgets where she is as the tightness in her stomach builds up.

"Oh shit, Tobias…" she gasps loudly.

His deep voice says lowly, "Shhh, you need to be quiet. Your parents are right upstairs."

Biting her lower lip and nodding in agreement, Tris tries to catch her breath. Tobias slides his hands around her and draws her closer to him.

Locking eyes as their lips meet again, their kisses become harder, desperate even.

Tris's hands slide under his shirt and she explores his muscular torso. Her hand roams lower, teasing the trail of hair that disappears under the waistband of his pants. Tobias hums approvingly and nips at her neck, sucking on the reddening flesh.

"Andrew, I am going to bring us each a piece of pie. Do you prefer pumpkin or apple?" Natalie calls out to Tris's dad before descending the stairs. Tris and Tobias quickly situate themselves so they are innocently sitting in front of the fire.

Tobias whispers jokingly in Tris's ear, "Time for me to think about dead puppies or something…" as he looks down at the large bulge in his pants.

Tris giggles quietly; she likes that he is aroused by her. He makes her feel attractive. Kissing him on the cheek, Tris excuses herself to follow her mother into the kitchen. Tris knows from experience that Tobias won't be able to hear them from where he is sitting.

"Hey, Mom, ummm…" Tris mumbles. Tris struggles with communicating what she wants to say. All she knows is that she is CRAZY attracted to Tobias, and she can't ignore it. She isn't quite sure how to explain this to her mom.

After a few moments of listening to Tris struggling to get it out, Natalie laughs and puts her out of her misery. She calmly reminds Tris that she is a grown adult now, and anything she decides to do consensually isn't going to upset her in the least. If Tris wants to invite Tobias to stay here with her, Natalie has no problem with it.

Tris's eyes nearly bug out of her head, not quite believing what she is hearing.

"Oh, Tris. Life is just too short! You and Tobias won't have a lot of time here before you both have to get back to your real lives. If there's something there between you, now is the time to find out. I'm not suggesting you have to do anything at all, but as I said, you're an adult, and I'm okay with whatever you choose to do," Natalie explains while cutting two slices of pie, one for her and one for Andrew. For the first time in weeks, Natalie is glad that Andrew is confined to the upstairs as she knows he would freak out over her motherly advice to Tris to just go for it.

What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

Controlling the volume of her voice, Tris blurts, "Mom, I mean…I know I am not in high school anymore, but I really wasn't expecting this!"

Mother and daughter share a laugh and a smile.

"If it's too awkward being here, see if you can go across the street with him and stay in his old house. Sweetheart, happiness can be hard to find, so when you do, it deserves to be cherished and nurtured. Don't worry about what anyone else will think. I see a spark between you two, or I would never have said anything. Do whatever your heart and mind tell you is right, and above all else, enjoy yourself!" Natalie nods towards the kitchen door so that Tris will hold it open for her, her hands full with the small tray.

Tris follows her mother out of the kitchen. As Natalie walks through living room, she says, "Tobias, Tris, I'm turning in for the night, so I hope I'll see you both sometime tomorrow."

Tobias jumps up to thank Natalie for dinner and to wish her a Merry Christmas. He isn't sure if or when he will see her again. That's up to Tris at this point; he knows what he wants.

Natalie says a warm goodbye before yawning and starting up the stairs.

Tris moves closer to Tobias, trying to control herself until after she hears her parents' door shut.

Natalie stops and turns back to them as she is almost to the top of the stairs. "Oh, Tris, I forgot to mention that your dad really likes to have the TV on, even as he sleeps. It's pretty loud, so I have earplugs for myself, but I apologize in advance if it keeps you up," she says with an innocent smile.

Tris bites back a laugh, then notices that Tobias is giving her a suggestive smirk. She shoots him a look as if to say, "Not in front of my mother!" A moment later, she is relieved to finally hear the firm closing of her parents' bedroom door. Tris turns and smiles seductively at the handsome man standing in her parents' living room. She is more than ready to pick up where they left off, so she attempts to pull him back down onto the living room floor. He is too quick, however, and dodges her playfully.

"Before we get too wrapped up in each other and forget, let's exchange phone numbers and addresses..." he demands while getting his phone ready to take her contact information.

"Too wrapped up?" She giggles while pressing her body against his.

Tobias flashes her a sexy smile, telling her he's serious while squeezing her ass firmly. She squirms away with a little yelp, reciting her info to him while getting her own cell phone out of her purse.

++o++

After a quick discussion in which they rule out screwing in her parents' house, they determine that they have both recently tested clean and are okay with forgoing condoms since Tris is on the Pill.

I've never been so happy in my life to have a problem with horrible cramps. Thank God they are controlled by the Pill!

They frantically rush out, slipping and sliding their way across the street while holding hands. After carefully making their way up the icy stairs, Tobias presses her against the door of his house and kisses her while he fumbles with the keys. As he doesn't live there, it takes him longer than normal to find the right key, it's obvious she is distracting him. Tris giggles teasingly at his hurried efforts.

Stumbling inside and locking the door behind them, Tobias growls and pushes her against the wall. He finally is free to show her exactly what she does to him. With no inhibitions left between the pair, they collide again and again until both find the release they both so desperately needed.

They stumble upstairs, clothes still askew. Tris asks, "Are we going to have sex in your childhood bed now?"

"No, I need more than just a twin bed to do this properly. We are going to the master bedroom," Tobias says while pulling her along.

Falling on the bed, Tris pulls at his shirt while he fumbles with her remaining clothes. Once they're both completely naked, Tris leans over him. Kissing her lips slowly, he moves her over him and pulls her to lie on top of him.

"Your turn to do all the work, Tris," he smiles as she throws her head back and laughs.

Tris revels in every minute of it. She has no regrets.

+++o+++

"I'm serious! I don't want you to be alone. Come spend Christmas with me and my family. My mom will be thrilled!" Tris assures him, hating the hesitation she sees in his eyes. She knows that he feels like he is intruding, even though he has already made it very clear to her that he will not be letting her get away. He is in this, no doubt about it.

"If you are absolutely sure it won't be weird for your dad or brother, then yes. I would love to spend Christmas with you," he can barely finish before Tris shrieks happily, kissing him enthusiastically.

"I do need to stop by the Pedrads' for Christmas Eve, or Zeke's mom will kick my butt," he says.

"What time? If you like, I can help you get this house ready during the day tomorrow," Tris offers. "It's the least I can do to earn my keep, since I'm sleeping over here."

Tobias lets out a deep laugh. "Clearly, there's no other benefit to your staying here. So with that offer, I guess it's a fair exchange." He winks at her, kissing her forehead before continuing. "Do you want to bring your travel bag over here and stay with me officially? I bet that will really impress the men in your family."

Tris snorts and laughs, agreeing to bring her bag since she doesn't really care what anyone else thinks. Like her mother said, she's a grown woman, and she knows for sure what she wants. She has never done anything remotely like this before, but she's sure this time because it feels right.

"If anything, I am doing you a huge favor," he smirks. "Now you'll avoid that loud TV and get a good night's sleep."

"Is this your definition of a good night's sleep?!" Tris mutters, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. It reads four in the morning. They have been alternating between having hot sex and talking the entire night.

Tobias smirks proudly while pulling her closer. "It is for me!"

Getting ready to finally fall asleep, Tobias kisses her slowly, "I want to go on a real date when we're gone from here and back at our own homes, back to our real lives."

Tris smiles at him, liking what she is hearing.

"How about the Friday right after Christmas, December 29th? I'd like to take you to dinner and then to the new Star Wars movie," he declares, watching for her reaction.

"Yes, of course. I'm dying to see that movie, but I'm not sure if a Friday night will work. The movie just came out and has been selling out," Tris warns him. The truth is she doesn't care where they go, she just wants to see him again.

Smiling smugly, he says, "I already bought the tickets earlier today. I got us reserved seats through Fandango. I wouldn't have invited you if I wasn't sure I could deliver."

Tris cocks an eyebrow at his double meaning; she is well aware Tobias can deliver, especially in bed.

"Sounds perfect," she says, impressed and appreciative that he took the initiative to plan their next date. She kisses him one last time before snuggling close so they can go to sleep.

They have a very busy Christmas weekend ahead of them.

++o+ One Shot End +o++


End file.
